Bathtub moisture barrier assembly

ABSTRACT

A bathtub moisture barrier assembly includes a panel having a front side, a back side, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The back side has a plurality of elongated slots therein each oriented parallel to each other and to the lower edge. The slots each extend to the first and second lateral edges. A first adhesive is attached to the back side of the panel adjacent to the upper edge and extends from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge. A second adhesive is attached to the back side of the panel adjacent to the lower edge and extends from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge. The first adhesive secures the panel to the wall and the second adhesive secures the panel to the bathtub.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to bathtub sealing devices and more particularlypertains to a new bathtub sealing device for preventing moisture fromentering a juncture of a bathtub and an adjacent wall to inhibit damageto the wall.

2. Summary of the Disclosure

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a panel having a front side, a back side, an upperedge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. Thepanel is comprised of a flexible material. The back side has a pluralityof elongated slots therein each oriented parallel to each other and tothe lower edge. The slots each extend to the first and second lateraledges. A first adhesive is attached to the back side of the paneladjacent to the upper edge and extends from the first lateral edge tothe second lateral edge. A second adhesive is attached to the back sideof the panel adjacent to the lower edge and extends from the firstlateral edge to the second lateral edge. The first and second adhesivescomprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The first adhesive is configuredto secure the panel to the wall and the second adhesive is configured tosecure the panel to the bathtub.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a broken rear perspective view of a bathtub moisture barrierassembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a broken rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosuretaken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through5 thereof, a new bathtub sealing device embodying the principles andconcepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated bythe reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the bathtub moisture barrierassembly 10 generally comprises a panel 12 that has a front side 14, aback side 16, an upper edge 18, a lower edge 20, a first lateral edge 22and a second lateral edge 24. The panel 12 is comprised of a flexiblematerial such as an elastomer, plastic or the like and is waterimpermeable. The back side 16 has a plurality of elongated slots 26therein. The slots 26 are each is oriented parallel to each other and tothe lower edge 20. The slots 26 each extend to the first 22 and second24 lateral edges.

A first adhesive 28 is attached to the back side 16 of the panel 12adjacent to the upper edge 12 and extends from the first lateral edge 22to the second lateral edge 24. A second adhesive 30 is attached to theback side 16 of the panel 12 adjacent to the lower edge 20. The secondadhesive 30 extends from the first lateral edge 22 to the second lateraledge 24. The first 28 and second 30 adhesives comprise a conventionalpressure sensitive adhesive. The first adhesive 28 is configured tosecure the panel 21 to a wall 70 adjacent to a bathtub 72 and the secondadhesive 30 is configured to secure the panel 12 to the bathtub 72. Apair of coverings 32 is provided. Each of the first 28 and second 30adhesives has one of the coverings 32 removably positioned thereon.

The plurality of slots 26 includes an uppermost slot 34 positionedadjacent to the first adhesive 28. The uppermost slot 34 is positionedbetween 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm from the upper edge 18. The first adhesive 28may terminate at the uppermost slot 34. The plurality of slots 26 alsoincludes a lowermost slot 36 positioned adjacent to the second adhesive30. The lowermost slot 36 is positioned between 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm fromthe lower edge 20 and the second adhesive 30 may terminate at thelowermost slot 36. A distance between the uppermost 34 and the lowermost36 slots is generally between 5.0 cm and 10.0 cm. A depth of the panel12 from the front side 14 to the back side 16 increases from the upperedge 18 to the uppermost slot 34 and the depth increases from the loweredge 20 to the lowermost slot 36. This causes an upper section 38,defined between the upper edge 18 and the uppermost slot 34, and a lowersection 40, defined between the lower edge 20 and the lowermost slot 36,to each be wedged shape as can be seen in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 5,this shape will help to shed water off of the assembly 10 and back intothe bathtub 72. The depth may also increase from the uppermost slot 34to an area adjacent to the lowermost slot 36. Such as shape helpssupport the assembly 10 on the bathtub 72 adjacent to the lower section40 as shown in FIG. 5.

The plurality of slots 26 may further include a plurality ofintermediate slots 42 positioned between the uppermost slot 34 and thelowermost slot 36. These intermediate slots 42 may include between 1 and5 slots and may be generally positioned nearer to the lowermost slot 36than the uppermost slot 34. These intermediate slots 42 facilitate thecurving of the panel 12 as shown in FIG. 5. Each of the slots 26 may beV-shaped taken traverse to a cross-section extending through the upper18 and lower 20 edges.

In use, the panel 12 is cut to a required length and the covers 32removed to expose the adhesives 28, 30. The panel 12 is then attached tothe wall 70 and the bathtub 72 as shown in the Figures and describedabove. The panel 12 will over older caulking 74 which may have becomeunsightly or damaged. The panel 12 thereby provides an aestheticimprovement while also preventing water from leaking between the bathtub72 and wall 70 which would damage the wall 70.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. A bathtub moisture barrier assembly configured to be coupledto a bathtub and a wall to cover and seal a juncture of the bathtub andthe wall, said assembly comprising: a panel having a front side, a backside, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge and a secondlateral edge, said panel being comprised of a flexible material, saidback side having a plurality of elongated slots therein, said slots eachbeing oriented parallel to each other and to said lower edge, said slotseach extending to said first and second lateral edges; a first adhesivebeing attached to said back side of said panel adjacent to said upperedge, said first adhesive extending from said first lateral edge to saidsecond lateral edge; and a second adhesive being attached to said backside of said panel adjacent to said lower edge, said second adhesiveextending from said first lateral edge to said second lateral edge, saidfirst and second adhesives comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive,said first adhesive being configured to secure said panel to said wall,said second adhesive being configured to secure said panel to saidbathtub.
 2. The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim 1,wherein said plurality of slots includes an uppermost slot positionedadjacent to said first adhesive, said uppermost slot being positionedbetween 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm from said upper edge, said plurality of slotsincluding a lowermost slot positioned adjacent to said second adhesive,said lowermost slot being positioned between 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm from saidlower edge.
 3. The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim2, wherein said first adhesive terminates at said uppermost slot andsaid second adhesive terminates at said lowermost slot.
 4. The bathtubmoisture barrier assembly according to claim 2, wherein a distancebetween said uppermost and said lowermost slots being between 5.0 cm and10.0 cm.
 5. The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim 2,wherein a depth of said panel from said front side to said back sideincreases from said upper edge to said uppermost slot, said depthincreasing from said lower edge to said lowermost slot.
 6. The bathtubmoisture barrier assembly according to claim 5, wherein said depthincreases from said uppermost slot to an area adjacent to said lowermostslot.
 7. The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim 5,wherein said plurality of slots includes a plurality of intermediateslots positioned between said uppermost slot and said lowermost slot. 8.The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim 7, wherein eachof said slots is V-shaped taken traverse to a cross-section extendingthrough said upper and lower edges.
 9. The bathtub moisture barrierassembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said slots is V-shapedtaken traverse to a cross-section extending through said upper and loweredges.
 10. The bathtub moisture barrier assembly according to claim 2,wherein said plurality of slots includes a plurality of intermediateslots positioned between said uppermost slot and said lowermost slot.11. A bathtub moisture barrier assembly configured to be coupled to abathtub and a wall to cover and seal a juncture of the bathtub and thewall, said assembly comprising: a panel having a front side, a backside, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first lateral edge and a secondlateral edge, said panel being comprised of a flexible material, saidback side having a plurality of elongated slots therein, said slots eachbeing oriented parallel to each other and to said lower edge, said slotseach extending to said first and second lateral edges; a first adhesivebeing attached to said back side of said panel adjacent to said upperedge, said first adhesive extending from said first lateral edge to saidsecond lateral edge; a second adhesive being attached to said back sideof said panel adjacent to said lower edge, said second adhesiveextending from said first lateral edge to said second lateral edge, saidfirst and second adhesives comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive,said first adhesive being configured to secure said panel to said wall,said second adhesive being configured to secure said panel to saidbathtub; said plurality of slots including an uppermost slot positionedadjacent to said first adhesive, said uppermost slot being positionedbetween 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm from said upper edge, said first adhesiveterminating at said uppermost slot; said plurality of slots including alowermost slot positioned adjacent to said second adhesive, saidlowermost slot being positioned between 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm from saidlower edge, said second adhesive terminating at said lowermost slot; adistance between said uppermost and said lowermost slots being between5.0 cm and 10.0 cm; a depth of said panel from said front side to saidback side increasing from said upper edge to said uppermost slot, saiddepth increasing from said lower edge to said lowermost slot, said depthincreasing from said uppermost slot to an area adjacent to saidlowermost slot; said plurality of slots including a plurality ofintermediate slots positioned between said uppermost slot and saidlowermost slot, each of said slots being V-shaped taken traverse to across-section extending through said upper and lower edges; and a pairof coverings, each of said first and second adhesives having one of saidcoverings removably positioned thereon.